Genuine tragedy

Another year, another election where we do not have a congressional candidate that adequately represents the people of South Lake Tahoe. Tom McClintock, the incumbent carpetbagger continues to live outside our district and collect a six-figure salary for doing pretty much nothing that benefits our district. He has voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act over 50 times, voted for the government shut down and supported defaulting on our national debt. None of this helped our district in any way. The shut down and threat of debt default had substantial negative effects on our economy. Probably more important is that he is a climate change denier, recently saying that reducing carbon emissions will have little or no effect on climate change. His anti-science stance is arrogant and very dangerous for our district. Need I have to say that our Lake Tahoe economy is very dependent on its climate? Imagine the continuation of the drought, the resultant fire c!

onditions and winters without enough snowfall to support the winter sports. These are some of the possible scenarios if we continue on our path of releasing greenhouse gases at our current rate. Is climate change an imminent threat? Just look at reduction in the polar ice cap in the last 40 years. The Pentagon has declared that climate change poses a threat to our national security. McClintock's views are in conflict with the vast majority of climate scientists. We cannot afford to have a congressman who ignores this very real threat.

His opponent Art Moore is only marginally better. He states the need and his willingness to compromise with Democrats. He believes that man has played a role in climate change, however does not think it is time to reduce carbon emissions because it would put the US at a competitive disadvantage with China and India. Most Republicans act as climate change deniers and anti-science ideologues, while some, like Moore, believe climate change is happening but not at an alarming rate. Are you willing to put our economy at risk by not beginning to address carbon emissions? Neither candidate Moore or McClintock is putting the people of Lake Tahoe and their livelihoods first. Moore is also a carpetbagger of sorts, renting a room/apartment in Roseville to satisfy the residency issue. So this leaves us with Moore as the lesser of two evils or do we write in a viable candidate? Whoops, the current ballot does not allow a write in for congressional representative. Without a representative!

who recognizes the threat of climate Lake Tahoe could become a mountain resort with no snow and deforested by massive fires. We must make some very substantial changes in how we treat our planet. We require representation that will legislate solutions, however neither candidate recognizes the seriousness of climate change. We need candidates that will act on the key Lake Tahoe issues, not anti-science political hacks. Unfortunately we have no real good choice to make, a genuine tragedy.